To help recognize Southfield’s growing technology corridor, a 12-foot tall industrial-robot artwork was added to the city’s southern entrance in the median of Telegraph Road, north of Eight Mile Road.

The steel robot was donated by international industrial automation firm Comau and installed outside its North American headquarters in Southfield, where more than 650 employees work.

“In reality, the robot is not a sculpture, but is a real, six-axis industrial robot,” said Comau product and business solutions manager David Reid, project manager for the artwork installation. “It is an elegant piece of automation that is very eye-catching in its bold red color and dramatic pose. By its location at the entrance to the city, it marks the boundary of a corridor of high-technology companies that reside on Telegraph Road.”

Southfield Mayor Donald Fracassi is proud of the city’s technology business district, which includes major firms like Comau, BASF, DENSO and Lear.

“People seem to forget that little Southfield sits here and doesn’t make too much noise; we just make things happen,” Fracassi said. “We’re really bigger than the business district of Cleveland or Kansas City. We have over 30 million square feet of office space. We are the business center of Michigan.”

Artwork plan

The robot plan was conceived in June 2013, when Comau invited city leaders to tour its campus.

“During this meeting, the city mentioned that they have a program to install artwork around the city and (asked if) Comau had any ideas for industrial art work,” Reid said.

A similar outdoor robot was already on display at the company’s headquarters in Turin, Italy.

Fracassi hopes to see more art on the corridor.

“We’re very pleased with it,” Fracassi said. “It sets the tone a little more in that vicinity. Hopefully, the other corporations will take note and add to it.”

Fracassi said it took two years to get full approval from the state for the project. Reid thanked city leaders and the Michigan Department of Transportation for making it happen.

“The robotic sculpture is an icon that affirms the section of Telegraph Road from Eight Mile to I-696 as a technology corridor,” he said. “Comau is pleased to provide the robot and proud to be a member of the family of high-technology companies in the city of Southfield.”